Adur Pradeep, OP
The Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) is at the forefront of developing quality infrastructure facilities to boost the industrial and economic growth of the state. IDCO has been operating 106 industrial estates in various districts of Odisha. “Several new industrial estates are also under implementation,” IDCO chairman-cum-managing director Sanjay Kumar Singh told Orissa POST in an interview.
“We are also developing various sector-specific industrial parks with world class infrastructure and common facilities. Some of the key ongoing projects include Plastics Park at Paradeep, Sea Food Park at Deras, Aluminium Park at Angul and Electronics Park at Bhubaneswar. These parks are at advanced stages of completion with all statutory approvals including environmental clearances. The land allotment to prospective investors in these parks has already started,” Singh said.
Besides the sector-specific industrial parks, IDCO has also initiated steps to develop large industrial regions.
“It would include large-scale infrastructure development in the proposed region in terms of basic industrial infrastructure as well as social and urban infrastructure,” he pointed out.
These regions are Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Region (PCPIR) at Paradip; National Investment & Manufacturing Zone (KNIMZ) at Kalinganagar and port-based Special Investment Region at Dhamra.
Singh said the detailed master planning for these projects is in the final stage of completion. He was optimistic that these infrastructure facilities will catapult the overall industrial and economic growth of the state.
While talking about the major hindrances that he observed while acquiring land for projects in the state, Singh said: “Normally land acquisition process involves statutory time periods which sometimes delays the project implementation. However, direct purchase of land through the provisions as underlined in RFCTLA R&R Act-2013 and rules has eased out the process and reduced the time period of acquiring of private land.”
Regarding the success of ‘Land Bank’, he said: “The government of Odisha has decided to establish ‘Land Bank’ of 1 lakh acres in view of the future requirements of land for various industries. The IPR-2001 and subsequently IPR-2007 and IPR-2015 envisaged the concept of Land Bank by IDCO. The Revenue & DM Department in November 2015 empowered IDCO for the creation of such Land Bank of government land.
“The Land bank scheme is unique and so far has been very successful. It will go a long way in giving a push to the process of industrialisation in the state.
Moreover, IDCO has a major role in establishing IT parks at several places in the state. While talking about the latest IT park projects being developed by IDCO, he said: “IDCO has set an example by setting up Info-City at Bhubaneswar which houses all major IT players of the country. Now IDCO’s second IT Park, Info-Valley, is being developed in which Infosys has already started their second facility. The master plan for the Info-Valley has been prepared by Singapore-based world renowned Jurong Consultants.
“Further incubation centres are being developed at various locations where readymade spaces having plug and play facility shall be provided to promote start-ups in the state.”
Another mega project being developed jointly by IDCO and NALCO is the Aluminium Park in Angul. Regarding the progress of the project, he said: “Aluminium Park is first-of-its-kind and a unique project in the continent that molten metal shall be provided to the industries within the park directly from NALCO smelter. It is being developed in a 223 Ac land parcel at a strategic location just beside NALCO’s smelter at Angul. This project is approved by DIPP, Government of India and all necessary statutory clearances including environmental clearance have already been obtained.
“Land allotment to the prospective units has already started. During a recent meet organised to promote downstream and ancillary investments in aluminium sector, the state has received significant interest from aluminium players across the world to set up manufacturing facilities in the Park.
While talking about the huge potential of the state in attracting investors, Singh said: “We have already identified focus sectors for the state which includes downstream and ancillary industries in metal, IT&ESDM, chemicals & petrochemicals, agro & food processing, tourism and textiles & apparel. The policy framework also promotes investments in these high potential sectors. The state’s focus would be on developing industrial infrastructure at suitable locations for industrial units in these sectors to attract higher investment and generate employment for the people of the state.”